Model Year | 2009 | 2013 | |
Model | Chevrolet Malibu | Subaru Forester | |
Engine | 3.6L V6 DOHC-4v 252 hp@6300 251 lb-ft@3200 |
turbocharged 2.5L H4 DOHC-4v 224 hp@5600 226 lb-ft@3600 |
|
Transmission | 6-speed shiftable automatic | 4-speed shiftable automatic | |
Drivetrain | FWD | AWD | |
Body | 4dr Sedan | 4dr SUV | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 112.3 in | 103.0 in | 9.3 in |
Length | 191.8 in | 169.5 in | 22.3 in |
Width | 70.3 in | 70.1 in | 0.2 in |
Height | 57.1 in | 65.9 in | -8.8 in |
Curb Weight | 3680 lb. | 3440 lb. | 240 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 16.0 gal. | 16.9 gal. | -0.9 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 39.4 in | 41.6 in | -2.2 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 55.9 in | 56.1 in | -0.2 in |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 53.0 in | 0.0 in | 53 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 42.2 in | 43.1 in | -0.9 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 37.2 in | 40.0 in | -2.8 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 53.9 in | 55.6 in | -1.7 in |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 52.1 in | 0.0 in | 52.1 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 37.6 in | 38.0 in | -0.4 in |
Total Legroom | 79.8 in (over 2 rows) | 81.1 in (over 2 rows) | -1.3 in |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 15.1 ft3 | 33.5 ft3 | -18.4 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 15.1 ft3 | 68.3 ft3 | -53.2 ft3 |
2009 Chevrolet Malibu Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2008 | 4dr Sedan 169-horsepower 2.4L I4 4-speed automatic FWD |
The rear legroom and seat comfort are suitable for two adults on extended trips. see full Chevrolet Malibu review |
2008 | 4dr Sedan 169-horsepower 2.4L I4 4-speed automatic FWD |
during a six hour drive felt no fatigue see full Chevrolet Malibu review |
2008 | 4dr Sedan 169-horsepower 2.4L I4 4-speed automatic FWD |
The Malibu seats have the comfort of a Lexus and the supportive nature of an Accord. see full Chevrolet Malibu review |
2009 Chevrolet Malibu Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2009 | 4dr Sedan 169-horsepower 2.4L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
After driving this car for a half hour, my back was in pain. How absolutely useless on a roadtrip. see full Chevrolet Malibu review |
2008 | 4dr Sedan 169-horsepower 2.4L I4 4-speed automatic FWD |
The front passenger seat is like sitting in a hole. It can be difficult to get out of. see full Chevrolet Malibu review |
2008 | 4dr Sedan 252-horsepower 3.6L V6 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
I tried the LS cloth, LT2 Ultralux, and LTZ leather seats...all of them were uncomfortable. Too little padding. see full Chevrolet Malibu review |
2008 | 4dr Sedan 252-horsepower 3.6L V6 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
I like the seating for the front seats. it fits me very good. see full Chevrolet Malibu review |
2013 Subaru Forester Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Comment | |
2014 | Beyond visibility, people buy crossovers to get more space for people and cargo. As in previous Subaru Foresters, the 2014's ceiling is cathedral-high. I could have worn a top hat inside. If you're very tall, and have been seeking a compact vehicle in which you'll easily fit, you've found one. If, on the other hand, you've been seeking expansive elbow room, the Honda CR-V has more of it. And legroom? A combined (first and second row) figure of 81 inches tops every other compact SUV, including the otherwise segment-leading Honda (79.6 inches) and Toyota RAV-4 (79.8 inches). The Chevrolet Equinox offers another tenth of an inch, but with a 188-inch length (vs. the Forester's 181) and 4,083-pound curb weight (vs. the Forester 2.5i's 3,366) it's not truly compact. Subaru has worked no such miracles with shoulder room. At 56.5 inches, the Forester's is typical of the compact crossover class. Add in a small driveline hump (absent in the Honda) and three adults won't happily share the rear seat for long. But how many car owners put three adult-sized people in the second row for long, anyway? Measurements don't tell the entire story. The Honda's rear seat cushion is too low to the floor to provide adults with thigh support, and its rear seatback can be reclined to only two nearly identical positions. In constrast, the Forester's passengers enjoy a comfortably high rear seat that reclines through a broader range. One negative for rear seat comfort: unlike the Ford Escape (but like nearly all other compact crossovers, including the CR-V), the Forester has no rear air vents. Thanks to the tall, square rear body, cargo space is also the best in the segment, though not by as large a margin as the rear seat. Up front, there are plenty of bins in which to stash your stuff. see full Subaru Forester review |
2013 Subaru Forester Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2014 | 4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4 CVT AWD |
Huge rear seat for the car's size see full Subaru Forester review |
2014 | 4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4 CVT AWD |
Excellent rear seat comfort and rear seats are 60/ 40 and easy to fold flat. rear seats also have recline function which is nice ... excellent leg room see full Subaru Forester review |